In My Head
by xthoseflashinglights
Summary: "Dashing" Cody Rhodes is convinced that all the divas are infatuated with him and even more so than the rest, Maria Kanellis. However, in reality, Maria cannot stand the cocky, pompous jerk Cody's become. But Cody's not ready to give just so easily.
1. Chapter One: Stop and Stare

So I made a video a few days ago, and I felt like writing a fic based on it. If you'd like to watch the video, the url is**: /watch?v=tBRzKp8GiBA**. I hope you guys enjoy the fic! :D

_Couples you can most likely expect to see:_ Maria/Cody/Layla, Michelle/Dolph, Eve/Alex, Miz/Maryse.  
>+ possibly more. :)<p>

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><p>"From now on, I'll be known as," The second generation star paused for a moment before he plastered a huge grin on his face. "– <em>Dashing<em> Cody Rhodes." Cody Rhodes told the crowd in know-it-all tone. He gave a final cocky laugh before his theme music played.

While Cody Rhodes was in the ring, telling the hundreds in attendance his new alias, Maria, Michelle, Eve and Layla were seated in the divas locker room watching the segment.

"Ten bucks says this gimmick goes to his head." Maria spoke up after pealing her eyes from the screen. The other divas laughed with the red-head.

"I'll bet 50 bucks." Michelle replied as she fixed her boots. "Easy."

"Hey guys, come on. He's not that bad." Layla said sheepishly as she looked back up at the television screen.

Michelle and Maria exchanged a similar, knowing glance before Maria snickered. "I'd take your comment into consideration if you weren't totally crushing on him, Lay." Maria commented with a laugh earning a light chuckle from Michelle and a Layool designed shirt to the face from Layla.

"I'm not crushing on him!" Layla protested.

"Sure you're not, you just a strange infatuation with him." Michelle retorted. Layla shook her head and Maria tried not to laugh. "Not that there's anything wrong with that." Michelle quickly added.

"Mhmm. Whatever guys. " Layla folded her arms over her chest and pouted slightly.

Maria glanced over at Eve who was seated next to her and had been surprisingly quiet. The Denver native was staring intensely at her phone.

"Eve, what's with the look?" Maria asked as the other two diva glanced at Eve also. Eve didn't say anything. "Eve?" Maria spoke again. The brunette didn't say anything. "Eve!" Maria almost shouted, finally catching the attention of the Smackdown diva.

Eve jumped slightly and looked up at the divas, her eyes glancing between the three girls. "Huh, what?"

"I said, what's with the look?" Maria repeated.

"What look?" Eve asked, dumbfounded.

"The intense look you were giving your phone." Michelle replied as she motioned the device in the Latina's hand.

Eve looked down at her cell. "Oh. I'm waiting for a call." Eve said nonchalantly.

"Who from, the president?" Maria snorted. Come to think of it, Maria had noticed Eve acting strangely lately. Although Maria didn't get to see Eve that often she was on RAW and Maria was on Smackdown, but Maria did often see Eve a couple of times a week since they were such good friends.

"What, no?" Eve gave Maria a look, obviously not getting that Maria was joking. Maria exchanged a glance with Layla and Michelle before she returned her attention back to Eve.

"It was a –" Maria paused before shaking her head. "Never mind. Who are you waiting for to call you?"

Eve blushed, which didn't go unnoticed from the three Smackdown divas. "Nobody."

"Oh as if Eve, spill it." Layla spoke.

"Yeah, tell us who the lucky guy is." Maria grinned.

"Mike." Eve said shyly, like she was a little girl again.

The three divas, who were grinning at Eve, quickly removed the grins from their lips. "Mike Mizanin?" The girls said all at once. Eve nodded.

Michelle was shell-shocked the say the least. "Isn't uh, Mike, with Maryse? Like for the past 3 years?" Eve nodded innocently again. Michelle's eyes widened. "Oh my god Eve, you're the other woman!" Michelle exclaimed.

Eve frowned. "Wait, what –" Eve couldn't even finish her sentence before Maria piped-up.

"How long has this been going on? Why didn't you tell us? I thought you and Maryse were friends? Oh god, I never thought YOU'D be the other woman." Maria rambled, asking too many questions at once.

"Woah, Woah, Woah. Guys! Calm down!" Eve raised her voice. The three divas stopped and stared at Eve. "You guys don't think..." Eve trailed off into a silence and studied the girls' expressions. "Oh my god, you do! Mike and I aren't, like _that_. Ew!" Eve explained before quickly speaking up again. "Not that Mike's ew or anything, I just don't think of him that way." She added cautiously.

"So you and Mike aren't... doing the dirty?" Layla asked hesitantly.

Eve vigorously shook her head. "God no! He's like my brother! I'm waiting for a call from him about _Alex_."

"Alex, as in Alex Riley?" Michelle asked the Brunette, who gave her a short nod before she bowed her head down once she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks. "Wow. You go as red as tomato at the mention of his name," Michelle noted out loud as she studied the diva before she turned to Maria and Layla. "She must have it bad." She told them.

"Oh shut up." The Denver native jokingly told the blonde diva.

* * *

><p>"See ya, Ria." Michelle said as she carried her bag with her to the door. Maria momentarily looked up at the blonde and smiled.<p>

"See you. I'll come by your hotel room tomorrow and we'll head off to the next city?" Maria questioned Michelle, who nodded and gave her a smile.

"Who are you catching a ride with?" Michelle questioned Maria before she took off. Michelle was going to find Layla and head back to the hotel room and she remembered Maria mentioning she was catching a ride with someone, but forgot who.

"Nick." Maria told Michelle as she zipped up her bag. "I have to go find him in a sec. That should be fun." The red-head rolled her eyes sarcastically. Michelle laughed at the divas remark.

"Alright, hope he doesn't give you too much trouble." Michelle replied jokingly, knowing of Nicks, who was known as Dolph Ziggler to the world, ways all too well.

"It's Nick, Chelle, so of course he will." Maria chuckled and the two divas waved goodbye and Michelle went off to find Layla, who was most likely flirting with Cody.

Maria was the last diva left and the locker room and she didn't like it. She always found it creepy, but for some reason, she was usually the final diva to be there; probably because she waits until the last minute to grab her stuff.

Maria sighed and grabbed her zebra-printed duffel and headed for the door, beginning her journey to find Nick. He was always hard to find, which was a downfall because Maria always rode with him. If Maria had to be perfectly honest, Nick was probably her closest friend on the road, aside from Michelle.

Maria wasted no time in getting out of the divas locker room. Maria looked around and decided to head for catering in search of Nick. If her memory served her correctly, Nick was usually flirting with divas or random 'hot' chicks as Nick would call them.

Maria walked down the hall and turned a couple of times, before she eventually made it to catering, and in luck, there was Nick hitting on some random blonde. Maria moved closer to him, but nick was leaning against a wall with his back to her. Maria overheard what Nick was saying.

"So, maybe next week, you and me can grab a bite to eat or something?" Nick suggested in a flirtacious tone.

The blonde smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Okay great. I look forward to it, babe." Nick responded and surely gave her a wink. As Nick said his goodbyes to the girl, Maria stood behind him with her hand on her hip.

She cleared her throat, which caught the attention of Nick and he turned his body around to face her. "You're such a horny prick, Nick." Maria joked as she gave him a shake of her head.

Nick laughed. "Well, maybe if a certain red-headed diva didn't take so long, I wouldn't have had to flirt."

"So, because I was supposedly 'late' you had to flirt with that girl?" Maria asked him using air quotes around late, considering they both decided to meet in 10 more minutes.

"Precisely. I'm assuming you're not going to make the same mistake next week?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Maria snorted. "Alright, I'm tired, sore and I want to go to my hotel room. Let's hit the road." Maria ordered Nick.

"Typical woman. Bossing us innocent males around." Nick joked as he grabbed his bag from the ground. "But we need to make a quick detour before we can head off."

"If by detour, you mean that chicks pants, then I'm out. I'd rather walk."

"Oh har, har. I get that detour next week." Nick told her with a wink.

Maria laughed and shook her head. "You really are a horny prick, Nicholas Theodore Nemeth." Nick just shrugged, as far as he was concerned, it was a compliment. "So what is this detour anyway." Maria finally asked as Nick flung his arm over her shoulder and the two began walking straight ahead.

"We're taking someone else with us, too." Nick simply told her. Maria just nodded, she didn't care who it was, as long as she could get the hell out of there. "So you riding with me tomorrow?" Nick asked.

"Nope, you're going to have to do it without me." Maria told him. Nick pouted and Maria giggled. "I'm riding with Michelle, Layla and Rosa."

"Oh come on. Those three can ride with themselves. You and I haven't rode together for ages." Nick protested.

"We're riding together tonight." Maria retorted with a smile.

"That doesn't count. We can have a road trip like we use to." Nick said with a nudge as he shot her a huge grin. Maria rolled her eyes.

"Fine, only cause I love ya' Nicky." Maria returned the grin, knowing how much it irked Nick to be referred to as 'Nicky.'

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last part." Nick said as he and Maria came to a stop. "Here we are." He said to Maria as they stood in front of the door.

Maria exchanged glances between Nick and the door. "Nick, it's a door." Maria said bluntly as she gave Nick a confused look.

Nick's face dropped. "I realize that, Ria."

Suddenly the door opened and Maria met with the face of Cody Rhodes. "Maria, this is our detour." Nick said as he motioned Cody with the hand that wasn't draped over her arm.

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><p><em>Next chapter:<em> Maria has an interesting car trip with Nick and Cody.


	2. Chapter Two: Next To You

For the purpose of this story, Maria was "traded" to Smackdown in early 2010 and Cody has just been drafted to Smackdown. :)  
>Enjoy. x<p>

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><p>"Ah, Maria. Hi, it's nice to finally meet you." Cody shot her a huge grin. Nick smiled innocently at the two of them.<p>

"We've, uh, met before. Remember, we were on RAW together for like a year..." Maria trailed off into a silence as she blinked a few times.

Cody furrowed his brows. "Are you sure? Because I honestly don't remember ever noticing you." Cody said nonchalantly and absentmindedly turned and picked up his bag from beside him. Maria was a little shocked. She stared at Cody for a few moments.

"Oh, ouch!" Nick exclaimed with a chuckle. Cody turned to Nick and Maria, and exchanged glances between the two of them. Cody opened his mouth to say something, but Nick piped up again. "Watch yourself dude, this one's a spitfire." Nick warned.

"I didn't mean it like –" Cody began to protest but Maria interjected.

"Oh no it's fine." She waved him off nonchalantly. "You were probably too busy with your head up Orton's ass to notice anyone, let alone little ole' me." Maria gave him a sweet smile.

Nick opened his mouth and held his closed fist up to his mouth. "Ohhh! Now _that_ was harsh." Nick chuckled before he held his free hand out for Maria to high-five, which she accepted.

Cody stared at her for a moment for grinning. "Alright, alright. I'll give you _that_ one." He chuckled as Maria shrugged cockily. Cody shook his head as he chuckled before he closed the locker room door behind him.

"Let's get out of here. I'm completely exhausted." Nick spoke up as she stood in between Maria and Cody.

"I'm all for that." Cody replied before he looked at Nick and Maria. "Are you two like –" He paused as Maria and Nick just stared at Cody blankly. "- together?" He finally finished.

Maria and Nick exchanged a glance before they began laughing aloud. "Us? _Together_?" Maria said in between laughs. Cody stared at them, waiting for the laughter to die down.

"Oh Codes, -" Nick said as he slapped a hand on the younger mans shoulder. "You really are new around here."

"But you two are like touchy-feeling, I thought you two like had a thing or something, especially when you were talking to me about Maria in catering..." Cody added hesitantly.

"Dude, our relationship is purely platonic." Maria told him which Nick nodded in agreement. "He's like my best friend. You'll get use to it eventually."

Cody shrugged. "I guess. It just kinda seems like you two have a thing."

"We don't. I love this girl to death, but not in that way." Nick explained to Cody as he motioned Maria with his hand, who nodded.

"Although, when Nick first met me in his spirit squad days," Maria paused to glance at Nick who rolled his eyes. "He was totally checking me out." Maria winked at Nick who just laughed.

"Don't your girlfriends get jealous?" Cody asked Nick.

Maria snorted. "What girlfriends? This guy is incapable of being in a relationship."

Nick looked at Maria, with his eyebrow slightly raised. "That was a little rude."

"What?" Maria shrugged. "It's just the truth. It's not like it's a secret or anything." Maria laughed at Nick, not realizing that she was hitting a nerve.

"So you don't think I'm capable of having a relationship?" Nick questioned Maria in a serious tone as he removed his arm from around her shoulder.

Maria then realized that she had indeed hit a nerve. "Since when did it bother you so much?" Maria asked him as Cody looked on, feeling rather awkward at that moment. Nick opened his mouth to reply, but Maria interrupted him. "Woah, hold up a sec. You don't like someone do you?"

"What, no, of course not." Nick shook his head. A small grin formed on Maria's lips.

"You do! Oh come on Nick, I can read you like a book. Who is it?" Maria asked as her curiosity began to reach its peak. "Who is it? A diva? Please tell me it's a diva..." Maria travelled off as Nick began to blush. Cody chuckled at Nick's reaction.

"It's definitely a diva. Look at his face!" Cody exclaimed with a grin.

"Guys." Nick said. "Seriously, stop it. Let's get going." He told the two Smackdown! Stars as he walked off. Maria and Cody looked at each other and let out a loud laugh before they trailed off behind Nick.

* * *

><p>The hotel was a good 20 minutes away from the arena, and so far they were just past the halfway point. The car ride started off well, mainly Maria and Cody teasing Nick about his secret, diva crush – who of which Maria was now one step closer to discovering.<p>

"Blonde, Brunette or Redheaded diva?" Maria asked Nick before pausing for a moment. "Or multicoloured." She quickly added.

"And by redhead, do you mean yourself?" Nick smirked. "No not a redhead, considering you're the only redhead in the WWE. Excluding Heath Slater and Sheamus." Nick teased earning a chuckle from Cody and a grin from Maria.

"So it's either a blonde, brunette or multicoloured diva." Maria thought aloud.

"Wait." Nick said as he glanced at Cody who was sitting in the back of the car and then at Maria who was seated in the passenger seat. "Do we even have any multicoloured divas?"

Maria thought for a moment. "Are we still talking about hair colour here?" Nick shot Maria a pointed look.

"If we are talking about multicoloured _hair_ there's always Kaitlyn. Maybe he's crushing on her after their sorta, storyline on NXT?" Cody suggested.

"No, it's not Kaitlyn. It's not anybody for that matter." Protested Nick.

"But if there was somebody, they wouldn't be Kaitlyn?"

"No Cody."

Cody nodded. "Okay. So that leaves blonde or brunette. Take your pick, Nemeth."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Fine, if I had to pick one, I'd say brunette."

Maria nodded thoughtfully. "You're such a liar."

Nick glanced at Maria and then back to the road. "I'm not lying; scouts honour." Nick held three fingers in the air.

"Pinky swear then." Maria told Nick simply as she held out her pinky.

"Oh. That shits serious. Be careful what you do Nicolas." Cody piped in from the back as he gave Nick a deadly serious look.

Nick exchanged glances between Maria and her pinky, before frowning slightly. "I can't do that." He told Maria as he looked back on the road and swallowed.

Maria gave a triumphant grin. "Exactly. You see, Nick told me himself that he prefers Blondes over Brunette and I know for a fact that he's just saying Brunettes because he likes a blonde and he thinks that if he says a Brunette we'll get off his case." Maria explained to the two. "See, you're basically transparent to me." Maria told Nick as she hit him in the arm.

Cody nodded and furrowed his brows enthusiastically. "Not a lot of that made sense, but I think I'm somewhat getting the picture." Cody explained hesitantly as he sank back into his seat.

From the journey was somewhat peaceful, until Cody opened his mouth. "So, did you guys like my promo tonight? I think it's the perfect way for me to start my Smackdown career. I mean, it's going to be hard to breakaway from the who legacy storyline, with this gimmick, it's perfect!" Cody paused to take a breath and Maria rolled her eyes. "I mean, if anyone was to play the most handsome Superstar in the WWE, who better than the dashing one himself, Cody Garrett Runnels?"

Maria stifled back a laugh. "I'm so going to be 50 bucks richer." She mumbled as she glanced out the window.

"What was that?" Cody asked as he stuck his head in between both the passenger and the driver seats.

Maria almost jumped out of her skin. She wasn't expecting Cody to have heard her and she certainly wasn't expecting him to be right up in her face, scaring the cramp out of her.

Maria held a hand to her heart. "Jesus Cody, couldn't you have been more subtle? You scared the fuck out of me!"

Cody frowned. "Sorry. But what did you say?"

"I said," Maria paused to take a deep breath. "It was good!" Maria exclaimed as she turned to Cody with a big smile. "You played the part perfectly."

Cody returned her smile. "Thank you, Maria! I agree completely. And I've got to say, you played that dumb, ditzy character on RAW _perfectly_ as well!" Cody smiled at Maria genuinely before sinking back into his seat and happily gazed out the window.

Maria's fake smile instantly dropped and she sat there stunned. How could he insult her so many times in one night without even trying? "Excuse me?"

Cody looked at Maria. "Yeah?"

"Did you just call me dumb?" Maria huffed as she crossed her arms.

"Oh no, you just play a dumb character really well. Even backstage. It's like you were so dedicared to your character that you always played her even after segments and stuff."

Maria let out a loud, sarcastic laugh. "Wow. Just wow." She said as she turned and faced the window of her door, shaking her head. She was so close to hitting this guy. Who did he think he was? "What an asshole." Maria muttered.

Nick just sat there awkwardly as Cody gazed out the window again happily. There was a long silence and it wasn't broken until Nick parked into the hotel. "We're here!" He said happily as he threw his hands in the air. "– Yay ..."

"Well you know what." Maria spoke up as she unfolded her arms and turned to Cody and leaned through the space in between her and Nick. "You're a jerk. You not only play a jerk on TV extremely well, but you are one. A cocky, arrogant jerk. And I –" Maria paused to think of something to say. "I, don't like you!" She exclaimed as she held her index finger out at Cody.

Cody just looked at Maria, not sure what to say. Maria kept her face stern but she knew it was no use. He had her beat without even trying.

"Yeah, I don't like you. And you know what, you're not even that good looking!" Maria shouted in his face as she undid her seat belt and got out of the door angrily and walked to the back of the car, waiting for Nick to open the trunk.

Cody sat there speechless, while Nick gazed around the car, the awkwardness building. Maria began to shiver as she waited for an equally stunned Nick to press the button to open the trunk. She began to band violently on the back window of the car. Nick looked at Maria and quickly pressed the button, a little afraid of the red-head. Maria did expect the trunk to open so quickly, so it hit her in the face as she was knowing on the back window.

"Ow. Fuck!" She shouted as she held her face. Nick and Cody turned and looked at Maria who was tilting her head back while muttering a bunch of cusses that Nick himself found a little shocking.

"Oh shit. Hang on Maria!" He shouted as he quickly got out of the car and run up to her.

"Fucking hell! You've got to be fucking shitting me!" As she held her back and felt some blood trickle onto her fingers. "This is not my fucking day. I mean seriously, is this some kind of fucking joke? Bloody fucking hell. Fuck my life." She muttered to herself as Nick came up to her.

"Are you alright?" He asked hesitantly.

"Do I LOOK alright?" Maria shouted at him as she looked up at the sky. Nick sighed and was about to say something but interrupted him. "Look, can you just get my bag and I'll let me go to my room. The further I get away from here, the better." Maria told him.

"Yeah, of course." Nick said quickly as he grabbed her lepard-print bag and handed it to Maria.

"Thanks, Nick. And thanks for the ride." She told him as she still gazed up at the sky. Nick gave her a nod. Cody stepped out of the car and Maria noticed him out the corner of her eye. "Ugh." She said as she shook her head and walked off.

"Bye Ria!" Nick shouted after her. "Well," Nick said as he glanced to Cody. "I think that went alright. What about you?"

Cody looked at Maria and then back at Nick, before a smile was brought to his lips. "I think she likes me." He said with a triumphant nod as he held up his hand for a high-five.

Nick blinked a few times before laughing slightly. "Yeah Codes, she totally likes you..." Nick told him as he reluctantly high-fived him.


End file.
